SCHEV-Virginia-Educated-information-sheet-for-participants

Information Sheet for Virginia Educated Survey Participants February 2020 You have been contacted because you completed a bachelor’s or associate’s degree or a certificate at a public college or university in Virginia between 2007 and 2018 The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is working with the Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory (SERL) at Virginia Commonwealth University on a research study about the value and impact of higher education in Virginia The study is funded by the Virginia General Assembly and administered by SCHEV As part of the study, SERL will distribute a survey to hear directly from graduates like you about the undergraduate experience Some individuals may receive a paper copy of the survey in the mail while others will receive a letter and/or an email with a link to complete the questionnaire online via Qualtrics Your candid feedback could improve the effectiveness and relevance of the data we collect, thereby providing better information to policymakers regarding higher education in Virginia In the survey you will see questions about your college experiences, general quality of life, student debt, employment, community involvement, and demographics You will also be asked if you grant permission to link your survey responses to other records collected and maintained by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) These records may include information on course enrollment (including grades); financial aid; wages; degrees and credentials earned; and any demographics to include, but not be limited to, gender, age, race, and ethnicity This administrative data was submitted to SCHEV by each public institution and private, nonprofit institution participating in the Tuition Assistance Grant Program, in accordance with state authority and both state and federal privacy law Whether or not you decide to grant linking permission, your survey responses will be a useful part of the study The survey will take about 20-30 minutes of your time depending on your answers Your participation is voluntary In addition to the small cash gift you received by mail, at the end of the survey you might be eligible to receive additional rewards for your participation Not all survey respondents will be eligible for these rewards because whether to offer them or not is part of a survey methods experiment Your contact information was obtained through a paid service that uses public records and commercially available data Thank you for your help with this important discussion! We appreciate you joining our efforts to improve higher education for all Virginians Contact information: Mr Daniel Davis, Research Support Specialist, Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory, VCU: ddavis28@vcu.edu, 804-827-0047 Dr Jim Ellis, Director of Design and Methodology, Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory, VCU: jmellis@vcu.edu, 804-828-2839 SERL website: https://serl.vcu.edu/ Approved by the VCU IRB on 1/30/2020 All information you provide will remain confidential Your personal information will not be shared with anyone outside of SCHEV and its subcontractors Your name will not be associated with any of your data in any report